Establishes the office of inspector general as an independent administrative agency charged with the responsibility to investigate, detect, and prevent fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the expenditure of public funds.
Requires manufacturers of assisting technology devices to make available to independent repair providers/the owner of the device, any documentation/parts, software/other items intended for use with the equipment/parts, including updates to software.
Maddy summaryThis bill is a House Resolution that officially recognizes the 76th anniversary of Israel's independence and reaffirms the friendship between Rhode Island, the United States, and Israel. It does not create new laws or change policies but instead serves as a formal statement of support and appreciation for Israel's democratic values and historical significance. The resolution directs the Secretary of State to send copies of the document to the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island and the Israeli Consulate General in Boston.
Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a new tax on private colleges and universities that have endowments exceeding one billion dollars. The tax would charge two percent on the amount of the endowment that is above that one billion dollar threshold. Any money collected from this tax would be given to the city or town where the school is mainly located. Those local funds must be used specifically to hire and keep behavioral health staff, such as social workers and psychologists, for the public schools in that same area.
Maddy summaryHB 7111 authorizes the town of Johnston to offer a tax credit to residents aged 65 or older. This provision allows the town council to create an ordinance that reduces property taxes for eligible homeowners, with the specific credit amount and rules to be set locally. The bill applies only to real estate owned and occupied by qualifying residents and is designed to be applied uniformly without considering individual ability to pay. By amending state law, the measure gives Johnston the same flexibility as other municipalities like Bristol and Cranston to provide targeted financial relief to senior citizens.
Maddy summaryThis bill proposes to increase the standard funeral and burial allowance provided by the state Department of Human Services from $900 to $1,500. It directly affects deceased residents of the state whose families or legally liable relatives are eligible for public assistance benefits. The legislation amends existing laws to raise the maximum amount the department can pay for reasonable funeral and burial expenses while maintaining current rules regarding income exclusions and contributions from friends or relatives. Additionally, the bill clarifies procedures for handling unclaimed bodies and authorizes the director to arrange burials even if the deceased's assets technically disqualify them from the standard payment.
This resolution would authorize the appropriation of the sum of $500,000 to the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
Creates a tax credit for family caregivers in an amount up to $5,000 for eligible family members and $6,000 for veterans based on 50% of the amount of eligible expenditures spent on eligible family members commencing January 1, 2025 and thereafter.
Considers state government caseworkers or investigators "public officials" for purposes of the prohibition on making threats to public officials.
Raises the earned-income tax credit from sixteen percent (16%) to thirty percent (30%) for the tax years 2025 and beyond.
